Skateboarder Learns Ehru From Chinese Man
Central Park, New York City I was taking a series of pictures (with different exposure settings for later HDR processing) of a Chinese musician all alone in Central Park. I thought it was unusual that no one else was around so I tried to hurry my shots.

Then a skateboarder came, stopped, and approached my subject. I was already into my fourth shot and needed to make three more (due to overexposure from the bright sun) so I waited hoping the skateboarder would eventually leave. But instead he stayed and took the Chinese musician’s instrument and position.

It’s a good thing I kept shooting because I captured their whole encounter. Instead of being annoyed, I ended up becoming amazed at the skateboarder’s panache and equally amazed at the Chinese musician’s game spontaneity. They both ended up laughing when they parted ways.

It was a happy fun moment that I wish I’d see more of between strangers. It reminded me of a time when people actually went outside instead of stayed inside to enjoy the day. And, like the skateboarder who was most assuredly a tourist as I've seen the Chinese musician there before, I wanted to travel to a distant tourist attraction just so I can hit the postcards stand and send a postcard to everyone I know, something that I haven't done for a long time.

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